undertaken in collaboration with the ECA and other partners
to implement the Conference decisions. He urged the delegates
to review it critically and to enrich it as comprehensibly
as possible in the light of their own subregional experiences
so as to present to the Conference, a truly realistic pictureof the progress achieved in planning, developing and utilizing
human resources along the lines of the recommendations made
in this respect in 1984.E/ECA/PAMM/HRP/MC/88/15[6.4(i)]
Page «9
13. He concluded by reminding delegates of their role as the monitoring arm of this Conference, which was very important to keep an eye on the evolution of trends in the area of human resources so as to make timely policy and priority shifts to avoid imbalances.
V. Status Reviews and Reports
14. A representative of the secretariat introduced document E/ECA/PAMM/HRP/MFC/88/l entitled Progress in National Programmes and Priorities for the Implementation of the Conference Decisions on Human Resources Management, Policies and Programmes. He drew the Committee's attention to the two major decisions taken by the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Human Resources Planning, Development and Utilization during its second meeting. Member States were called upon to initiate activities and strategies that would improve the operational instruments of the Conference and ensure the proper development of quality human resources.
15. The representative gave a brief report on some of the major activities undertaken, highlighted the constraining factors and pointed out a few suggestions for ensuring a higher implementation rate of the future decisions, by the Conference.
16. The Committee was informed that since the last meeting, efforts had been intensified and attempts made by member States to establish appropriate processes for human resources development, planning and utilization. National and regional initiatives were taken by the member States themselves. Others were taken in collaboration with the ECA and other bilateral and multilateral donors. These activities were focused mainly on strengthening human resources planning, development and utilization institutional capacities and instituting policy reforms in respect of human resources development and
E/ECA/PAMM/HRP/MC/88/15[6.4(i)]
Page ?g
17. Advisory or consultative bodies to formulate, guide?
co-ordinate? evaluate and advise on human resources policies and programmes within a planning framework had been established by a number of countries. Other than Egypt„ Gabon, Gambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, which had each established full ministries to deal with human resources management issues, most governments had relied on . the ministries or agencies responsible for economic planning and development, public service management,- labour and social affairs to perform the day-to-day manpower and employment planning function.
18. The Tanzanian Government reviewed and revised the longstanding "bonding" policy, end plans are also underway to review the 1964 policy on human resources. The Government of Zaire instituted an annual levy payroll deduction policy in 1984 to increase funds to the National Institute of Vocational Training. The Governments of Djibouti and Tunisia initiated policy reforms aimed at rationalizing the civil service and making it more productive and cca'cef fective. -Direct policy measures were also undertaken by the Governments of Cameroon, Guinea, Mauritius, the Central African Republic and Zimbabwe to improve the wellbeing of their respective work-force. A national policy conference on education and training was held in Liberia aimed at reviewing and streamlining human resources development policies and strategies.
19. A series of activities were initieted by member States in collaboration with the ECA secretariat. These programmes were embodied within the various, programme activities of the secretariat i.e.■agriculturer telecommunications, industry, statistics, etc. that were related to human resources development. In addition c. number of direct activities were carried out within the framework of two programmes, namely, the public administration and finance and human resources
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planning, development and utilization. The activities took the form of advisory services, training workshops, studies and technical reports. Similar activities were undertaken by member States in collaboration with other multilateral and bilateral donor agencies. These were mainly focused on a development of quality human resources through educational reform measures and rehabilitation of vocational training institutions; and on the utilization of human resources by improving labour administration and strengthening employment and manpower planning capabilities.
20. It was noted that the efforts were constrained by a number of factors and that the Conference,, in anticipation of the future, needed to identify and review these factors and to see the extent to which their impact on member States1 efforts could be minimized. In so doing, the Committee was urged to examine the problems of implementation of the Conference decisions within the context of the recent structural crisis of African economies since they had influenced the trend of progress. It was pointed out that as a result of the constraining factors there was a modest gain in the implementation of the Conference decisions during the review period. The secretariat, therefore, called on all concerned to take necessary steps in the years ahead in furtherance of the attainment of the objectives and decisions of the Conference. In this regard, a few suggestions were made for consideration by the Committee. Structural reform policies were needed first and foremost. Established priorities would have to be re-examined and re-ordered in the light of the need to institute measures that would not only stimulate specific lead sectors of the economy, but would also ensure effective mobilization and management of domestic and foreign resources. Greater collaboration and interaction between African countries and the international
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community and other donors would be called for. More conscious efforts would have to be made by member States to provide the necessary information when required and to take full advantage of the services of the secretariat. No effort should be spared to ensure that notwithstanding reform policies adopted or of measures designed, member States and other concerned parties should work within the framework and spirit of APPER and UN-PAAERD and generate new ideas and programmes to build the foundation for recovery and development,
21. In concluding, he stressed the role to be played by the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Human Resources Planning, Development and Utilization in ensuring that steps would be taken to have the Follow-up Committee of Ten take on a more active and co-ordinating role in the implementation of the decisions of the Conference. Secondly, the Conference would have to find and decide on a mechanism through which the various national: and regional activities on human resources management initiated by member States in collaboration with the various agencies are co-ordinated and harmonized. Thirdly, the Conference would have to continue
its call for stronger national machineries to formulate and
execute human resources management policies and programmes.22. In the discussions that followed, the need was expressed for future reports to the Committee to be structured in such a manner that delegates would see at a glance what actions had been undertaken in each area at the various levels
-national, sub-regional and regional, as well as international
- to strengthening the planning, the development and theutilizaiton of human resources. In addition, efforts should
be made to solicit from all the major actors - organizations
of the UN system, MGOs and bi-lateral and multi-lateral donor
agencies but particularly from member States - annual reportsE/ECA/PAMM/HRP/MC/88/15[6.4(i)]
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on those problems and constraints that inhibit their effectiveness in addressing emerging problems in the field of human resources. A compilation of these would facilitate the analysis of trends on a sub-regional and regional basis, promote a healthy exchange of country and agency experiences and conduce to an easier search for workable national,
sub-regional, regional and international strategies for addressing
problems of human resources. To this end, ECA was requestedto draw up and circulate guidelines for the preparation of
country and agency reports in good time so as to have enoughelements to submit a comprehensive report to the next meeting
of the Committee.